


Where You Lead, I Will Follow

by searchingwardrobes



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: "sick" Emma, Deleted Scene, F/M, Fluff, between 4A and 4B, gilmore girls - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-12
Updated: 2016-07-12
Packaged: 2018-07-23 15:50:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,162
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7469634
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/searchingwardrobes/pseuds/searchingwardrobes
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Killian, even I don't get some of the pop-culture references. And I'm not a 300 year old pirate. I'll be pausing it constantly." Killian binge-watches Gilmore Girls with Emma.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Where You Lead, I Will Follow

**Author's Note:**

> * I've been binge watching Gilmore Girls lately, and I noticed that Jane Espenson was a producer for Gilmore Girls as well as Once. That made me notice all the similarities between the two shows.  
> * Like a lot of fluff, this one takes place between 4A and 4B.  
> * If you've never seen Gilmore Girls, you probably won't get it. And if you've never watched Gilmore Girls, are you crazy? Stop what you're doing right now and go watch it!!!  
> * Spoilers for Gilmore Girls.

              Emma Swan groaned as she shifted on the couch, trying to find a more comfortable position. A part of her felt slightly guilty for being home while her father was alone at the station, but another part of her wanted to do nothing but bury herself in blankets on the couch all day binge watching Netflix. Emma adjusted the heating pad on her abdomen and clicked through the options with her remote. She also felt a smidgen of embarrassment that her father knew she was suffering from menstrual cramps. She had asked her mother to be subtle, but she should have known that “subtle” and Snow White were polar opposites.

              As embarrassing as it may have been, it was also sweet the way her parents had fussed over her. Mary Margaret had brought her a glass of water and some ibuprofen while David practically smothered her in blankets. Even Henry had sweetly gotten the heating pad and plugged it in, bringing back memories of New York when Henry was the only man in her life. The only anything, actually. Even when there was Walsh. The two of them may have dated for several months, but he never had a key or even stayed overnight. He certainly never saw her in this state.

              Emma heard a key turn in the lock. She wondered that her parents would be back so soon to check on her; they had left less than an hour ago. Then she heard a familiar voice and the footfalls of familiar boots.

              “Swan?” Killian called out hesitantly.

              Emma dove under the blankets. “Killian!” she gasped out, startled, her voice slightly muffled. “What are you doing here? Where did you get a key?”

              Emma, still hiding under the blankets, felt the couch dip as Killian sat down tentatively next to her. Even beneath the blankets, Emma could hear the slight hurt in his voice when he spoke next.

              “To answer your questions, I’m here to see if I may be of assistance. Your father said you weren’t feeling well. He gave me the key. But I see that was a foolish notion. I didn’t want to bother you, love . . .” He trailed off. Emma groped through the blankets and managed to find his hand.

              “Killian, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to sound so harsh.” Suddenly feeling foolish for hiding, Emma pulled the blankets from her head. She lifted her hand and tried to tame her wild, frizzy hair that was piled on top of her head in a messy bun. Her eyes raked over Killian, her face burning as she saw that, as usual, he looked gorgeous. She ducked her head, suddenly fascinated by the bottom button of her flannel pajamas. “I just didn’t want you to see me like this.”

              She expected Killian to laugh, but he didn’t. “Like what, Swan, bloody beautiful, as always?”

              Emma scoffed and rolled her eyes. “You’ve either had too much rum already today, or you’re lying your butt off. I have no makeup on, my hair is a mess, and I haven’t even showered today. I probably smell.”

              Emma was still fiddling with her button. Killian gently tipped her chin up with his hook, and when she met his gaze, she saw nothing but sincerity. “Like I said, bloody beautiful.” He paused as a smile broke across Emma’s face. “And if you’re ill, I want to care for you, if I may.”

              “Well,” Emma hedged, tucking a stray hair behind her ear, “I’m not exactly sick. It’s . . . it’s . . . women stuff.” _God, this was embarrassing!_

Killian did chuckle then. “No need to be bashful about that, love. I did share rather close quarters on a ship with a woman for several years. I know about these things.”

              “I was just going to cuddle up with some blankets and binge watch one of my favorite shows, Killian,” Emma argued. “Mary Margaret left the ibuprofen here on the coffee table. I’m fine, really.”

              But Killian was already taking off his shoes and his jacket. He got comfortable on the couch, pulling Emma down so her head lay on his lap. He readjusted the heating pad and tucked the blankets around her. “Then I shall watch with you. If it’s one of your favorite shows, I would like to see it.”

              Emma sighed, the heat that always seemed to radiate off her boyfriend wrapping her in a cocoon of comfort. This was definitely where she wanted to stay. But as for the binge-watching . . . “Okay, but maybe I should choose another show.”

              “Nonsense, Swan, you are the one who doesn’t feel well. You should choose anything you desire.”

              “But Killian, _I_ don’t get all the pop-culture references on this show. And I’m not a 300 year old pirate. I’ll be pausing it constantly to explain things to you.”

              “Aren’t you always pausing to explain things to me? What is this show that you think will confuse me so?”

              Emma sighed. “Gilmore Girls.”

              “Gilmore _Girls_? I’m insulted, Swan!”

              “It’s not what you think, Killian.”

              “You don’t insult a pirate’s intelligence, lass! Whatever this show is, I can handle it, I’m sure.”

              “Okay.” Emma shrugged and hit play for the episode she had selected before Killian had arrived.

              Just like Emma had expected, she had to pause the show twice before the theme song even played. It took her 15 minutes to explain the “Hey, Adrian!” reference, and then Killian had to get out the pad of paper from the drawer in the side table where he and Henry were keeping a running list of all the movies he needed to see.

“Rocky,” Killian mumbled as he jotted it down. He gestured towards the TV. “Proceed.”

Probably 30 seconds later, Lorelai made a joke about Sylvia Plath sticking her head in an oven. That took almost half an hour to explain because Killian’s understanding of ovens didn’t involve breathing in gas fumes.

But Emma found she didn’t mind explaining things as much as she thought she would. It turned out that watching _Gilmore Girls_ was the best possible crash course in modern life. And for some odd reason, teaching Killian about her world had always been something Emma enjoyed.

They didn’t watch episodes in any particular order. Emma just chose her favorites, making sure to hit on the ones including her favorite Gilmore-isms (Oy, with the poodles already!), and giving Killian an overview of all Rory’s boyfriends (“Is it just me, Swan, or does this lass keep getting _worse_ at choosing her lovers?”). Killian found the town of Stars Hollow, with all of its quirky residents, to be the most entertaining.

“You know, this Stars Hollow is eerily similar to Storybrooke, love.”

At this point, Killian had shifted sideways on the couch and Emma was cuddled against his chest. She chuckled. “Just because they’re both small New England towns?”

“Well, you have to admit, they’re both filled with _characters_.” He looked down at Emma, wiggling his eyebrows humorously.

Emma groaned. “You’ve been spending _way_ too much time with my dad.”

“Well, think about it, Swan. Stars Hollow is filled with odd, quirky characters. Everyone frequents a diner named after and run by a cantankerous town member. They have frequent town meetings . . .”

              “Just not about monsters or curses,” Emma cut in dryly.

              “ . . . and this Taylor fellow is a lot like Regina. Rules the town with relish and few people like him. Just don’t tell Regina I said that.”

              “Thus proving your point,” Emma commented with a snort.

              “Not to mention that Lorelai and her daughter have an affinity for Pop Tarts just like you and your lad.”

              “Killian, that has nothing to do with the towns being similar.”

              Killian shrugged. “Well, it’s still a similarity.”

              As Emma watched the shenanigans of Stars Hollow, she had to admit that Killian had a point. When Jess stepped off the bus for the first time in Stars Hollow, to a deceptively chipper singer crooning, “This is hell!”, Emma burst out laughing.

              “What’s so funny?” Killian asked smiling down at her.

              Emma looked up into his blue eyes. “Is that what you were thinking when you first stepped off the Jolly Roger in Storybrooke harbor?”

              Killian chuckled. “It certainly wasn’t what I expected. But I wouldn’t call it hell. Not with an angel like you in residence.”

              Emma rolled her eyes and poked him in the ribs. She would say he was being cheesy if she could speak around the lump in her throat. Somehow, when he said things, they didn’t sound like pick-up lines.

              While the pop culture references and rapid-fire banter sometimes left Killian confused, he had no trouble picking up on the sexual tension between Luke and Lorelai. “This Luke fellow clearly fancies Lorelai; and she clearly returns his affections. Why are they not romantically involved?”

              “That doesn’t happen until the very end of season 4.”

              Killian grabbed the roku remote and flipped back to the episode list. “Hey!” Emma protested, feebly attempting to get the remote back. Why had she ever taught him how to use it?

              “Just a second, I’m checking something,” Killian argued, holding the remote out of Emma’s reach. ”Hmmm . . . seven seasons. And how much time passes in each season?”

              “A year.”

              “A year! It takes them a bloody four years to confess their feelings! I was parted from you for one year Swan, and it was sheer torture.’

              “It’s called a slow burn, Killian. It’s to keep the audience interested.”

              “Then please tell me they spend the remaining three seasons enjoying their happy ending.”

              “Ummm . . . actually, they break up.”

              “What!” Killian practically exploded. It was funny, and kind of sweet, how he had gotten so invested in the characters. “They are clearly soul mates, Swan. True loves. Why would they break up?”

              “They’re not fairy tale characters, Killian. It’s complicated. Especially for Luke and Lorelai.”

              Killian fell silent, shaking his head as he turned his attention back to the episode they were watching. Lane was talking about bands again, and Killian had given up asking Emma to explain. That was fine with her, even Emma didn’t know half of what Lane was talking about.

              “You know,” Emma said, running her hand up and down Killian’s arm. “If you and I are Luke and Lorelai; I’m definitely the Luke in the relationship. Elsa said I’m prickly, and so is Luke. Just replace the baseball cap with a red leather jacket.”

              Killian began to run his fingers through her hair. “So I’m the woman in the relationship? Not sure I like the sound of that, Swan.” But he sounded amused, not offended.

              “Well,” Emma said, turning over on her back and reaching her hand up to run along Killian’s scruff, “she does have dark hair and blue eyes. And she’s the charming, flirty one.”

              Killian smiled down at her, a twinkle in his eyes. “And she is always impeccably dressed.”

              _Would ‘ya hold still?_ Luke asked Lorelai onscreen.

              Killian bent his head and kissed Emma, slow and languidly. When he pulled back, Emma said, “We’re missing Luke and Lorelai’s first kiss.”

              Not taking his eyes off Emma, Killian murmured, “Are we?” and kissed her again.

                             **********************************************

              Mary Margaret turned the lock on the loft door and opened it softly, just in case Emma was asleep. David had agreed to pick Neal up late from Ashley’s so Mary Margaret and Emma could have some girl time. The lights in the loft were off, but Mary Margaret heard the distinct banter of Lorelai and Rory coming from the TV.

              “Ooohh, _Gilmore Girls_! Emma, that’s perfect I –“ Mary Margaret stopped abruptly when she saw Captain Hook laid out on their couch, Emma asleep in his arms. Hook’s eyes flew open at the sight of Mary Margaret smiling down on them. He looked sheepishly from the TV to Mary Margaret and back again.

              “Please don’t tell David about this,” he whispered.

              Mary Margaret laughed softly so she wouldn’t wake Emma. “Your secret’s safe with me, Hook,” she whispered back.

              Hook smiled, held Emma tighter, and closed his eyes. Mary Margaret picked the blanket up where it had fallen to the floor. She draped it across the pair, shaking her head at the humor of tucking her daughter in with Captain Hook. Mary Margaret moved to the kitchen to make Emma some hot chocolate, the strands of the _Gilmore Girls_ theme song drifting through the loft.

                             _If you’re out on the road_

_Feeling lonely and so cold_

_All you have to do is call my name_

_And I’ll be there, on the next train._

              The significance of the words for her family weren’t lost on Mary Margaret. They’re tendency to never let go, to always find each other, and to always be there for each other were the very reasons why Hook was perfect for Emma.

                             _And where you lead, I will follow_

_Any, anywhere that you tell me to_

_If you need, if you need me to be with you_

_I will follow, where you lead_


End file.
